More than 7,000 sheriffs are included
Author Ronnie Erwin (left), with Sheriff Parnell McNamara of McClennan County.
Stars Over Texas, a three-volume box set written by Ronnie Erwin and his late wife, Lynn, is a massive testament to the public service of the sheriffs of Texas, as well as a labor of love from a husband to his beloved wife.
The hardback, full-color books span 254 existing counties (plus 32 now-defunct counties) and 178 years and include historic details on the sheriffs that have served our state, elected or appointed, as well as photos of hundreds of them, dating back to the 1800s, in addition to other historic photographs and artwork. It includes birth and death dates of many of the sheriffs, where applicable, and hundreds of images of their signature badges and uniform patches.
Published in February 2024, Ronnie Erwin donated a special copy of Stars Over Texas signed by all 254 sheriffs and Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, in addition to a regular set that can be viewed by library patrons. He has also given sets to the current sheriff in every county in Texas.
Every volume of the box set has a beautiful photo of Lynn in the opening pages. Lynn Erwin passed away in 2019. The set also includes a brief bio of Ronnie Erwin and of the artist, Joe Gish, who created more than 35 Western-style illustrations for the books.
After her health diagnosis, Erwin recalls that his wife Lynn “was committed to ensuring that I would be okay without her. Our short 51 years of marriage were about to come to an end, and I could not stop this fast-moving, out-of-control train. It was during this time that Lynn kept returning to the request to ‘finish our book.’ I would push her away from that thought, explaining that I could not do so without her.”
“Not too long after her passing, I woke up in the night at two, three in the morning, crying like a four-year-old, and I could just hear her voice saying, ‘Finish our book.’”
“After Lynn’s passing and an impromptu visit with [McLennan County] Sheriff Parnell McNamara and his encouraging words, I decided to revisit this tremendous project that lay dormant,” Erwin said. Because of Sheriff McNamara’s law enforcement experience and having met the Erwins numerous times over the years, he wrote the foreword for the books.
Erwin extends his thanks to Texas sheriffs from around the state and their staff members for their help in completing this tremendous project.
A hobby that became a passion
The roots of this book project grew out of the Erwins’ collection of Texas sheriff’s badges, which began in the early 1980s.
“It was during these early days that we began collecting nineteenth-century Texas artifacts, specifically Texas county sheriffs’ badges. The first one we purchased some 40 years ago was an 1897 badge. As our collection grew, we would research the previous owners of these badges. It was during that time that Lynn said, ‘The badge is important, but it is who wears that badge that is what is really important.’ So, we began our research adventure,” Erwin said.
Above, some of the sheriff badges from Ronnie Erwin’s collection.
Throughout the years, they visited every Texas county, doing research at local libraries, scrolling through miles of microfiche records of historic newspapers, and consulting the archival records here at TSLAC. One surprising but rewarding result was making friends with local historians around the state.
“One of the most unexpected, but valuable resources for our collection was the local, private, unpaid historian,” Erwin said. “He or she did not collect and write information specific to the sheriffs but had vast amounts of information about the families of the county they loved. Hidden in these writings was historical information about a family member who had served as sheriff. Many times, they would direct us to a cemetery where a former sheriff was laid to rest. I could not begin to guess how many cemeteries Lynn and I explored over the years.”
Special sections
Stars Over Texas contains two special sections. One section, called “The Ultimate Sacrifice,” provides a comprehensive listing of the 123 Texas sheriffs who have died in the line of duty.
Sheriff Joseph L. Hood of Bexar County died on March 19, 1840, and is the first recorded death in the line of duty of a Texas sheriff. Sheriff Richard Kirk of Young County died in 1876 at the age of 24 and was the youngest sheriff to die in the line of duty.
The other special section is dedicated to the more than 98 women who have served as a sheriff in Texas. Seven women currently hold that office.
Above: Lynn County Sheriff Wanda Mason with author Ronnie Erwin.
The first female sheriff in Texas, Emma Daugherty Banister, is also likely the first female sheriff in the United States. She was the widow of John Banister, Coleman County sheriff, who died of a stroke in August of 1918 while in office.
Erwin has become a good friend of Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez through his work to distribute the book to all 254 sheriffs in Texas. Sheriff Hernandez was instrumental in paving the way for Erwin to meet with many sheriffs throughout the state.
Sheriff Hernandez said to KXAN about the book project, “It was the love Ronnie had for Lynn to see it all the way through.”
Photos of Lynn Erwin (1946-2019). Lynn was an elementary school teacher for many years.
Lynn M. Erwin Memorial Award
With Lynn’s passing, Ronnie Erwin established the Lynn M. Erwin Memorial Foundation.
This memorial annually recognizes a current Texas sheriff with the Lynn M. Erwin Distinguished Sheriff’s Excellence Award. All proceeds of Stars Over Texas sales go to this foundation. Each year, the current 254 sheriffs will select the recipient. That individual will receive a piece of etched crystal and a $1,000 check. This award is administered by the Office of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas and presented at the annual Sheriffs’ Association of Texas Conference.
During the research for Stars Over Texas, Lynn and Ronnie Erwin also published the Stars Over Tennessee book, which similarly chronicles the 4,000-plus sheriffs of Tennessee. (Stars Over Tennessee is currently out of print.)
You can order Stars Over Texas at https://rebelsprings.com/ .
Above: Ronnie Erwin donated a special copy of Stars Over Texas signed by all 254 sheriffs and Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, in addition to a regular set that can be viewed by library patrons.
“Please remember that it was Lynn’s vision and unwavering dedication that brought Stars Over Texas to the citizens of Texas,” Erwin said. “This project is a testament to the men and women who have served and are serving as sheriffs of Texas, honoring their sacrifices and providing an accurate historical document that future generations will recognize.”
Quotes have been very lightly edited for length and clarity.
All photos courtesy of Ronnie Erwin.